Nicola and Katanga van het Dingeshof finished second on Sunday afternoon in the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Valkenswaard. In a jump-off with only two riders, the victory went to Harrie Smolders and Monaco. Olivier finished tenth with Just Him.
Out of forty combinations, only two managed to stay clear in the first round. In the jump-off, Harrie Smolders did it again. Nicola gave everything to take the win, but in the end two poles came down.
“It was a tough course, like a championship course, which you don’t see very often. After five weeks of rest, I wanted Katanga to jump one more show before we go to the Spruce Meadows tournament in Calgary at the beginning of September. In the first round Katanga once again did what she does so often, and that is jump clear. In the jump-off I came after Harrie Smolders and I took all the risks. We were very fast, but on the second last fence a pole fell, and also the last fence came down as a result of the first mistake. We really gave it everything to win, but it was not to be. My congratulations to Harrie. Second place is great, but winning is winning. What I will remember most is Katanga’s performance. This result is promising with Calgary in mind,” said Nicola.
Olivier also finished in the top ten of the same Grand Prix.
“In the first round we had a fault at the last fence. But what a strong debut for Just Him, who has only been with us for three weeks and today jumped for the first time at this top level. He did a fantastic job. In the last line I was still searching a bit, because I don’t know him that well yet. But I am very happy with how he performed today,” said Olivier.
Next week the Brussels Stephex Masters are on the program, followed by Spruce Meadows in Calgary. For the very first time, three out of the four riders in the Nations Cup team will be brothers: Thibault, Nicola and Olivier. Olivier already made history in Calgary by winning the prestigious Grand Prix in 2012, where father Ludo finished third.
